Can someone feel my pain? Updated lots of photos****

[shuizar209]

Ok so Ive have chickens but never ever chicks. These chicks are RIR/White leghorn mixes. I would have never known how hard it is to sex them. Its been a never ending battle. Heres the story.

At first all were yellow except one which was tinted with brown. Yellow vs. brown. How can I be so naive.

Then combs started to grow in some and not the others. Comb growth vs. No comb growth.

The the combs started to grow on all of them. (except two) But some got red and some stayed orange. Red comb vs. orange comb.

Then they all got red. ( except two)

Some had black spots and some no spots and one have cream buff fading in the feathers. Black spots vs. no spots. And maybe the cream one is a transy. (LOL).

Now my current conclusion. Some have a very straight tail and some curve downward. Straight vs. curved

Now with this track record I know that will soon change but maybe not. I have so much respect for chicken sexers. This has all been fun so far. so even if I end up with all roos I would be ok with that.

Although this is making me crazy. I am afraid to go out there right now. There is prolly one more difference I will find. Maybe these chicks know what I am doing and they are playing games with me. LOL.

 

[lauralou]

Can you post pictures? There are lots of folks on here who are good at telling the sex of a chick by looking at pictures.

 

[CoffeeCowgirl]

Oh I can relate as I am afraid two of my five are cockerels but they are SLW's and hard to tell for sure yet (3 month old)... but every night I wonder if I will hear crowing when I wake up ...
AND I analyze every little change and drive myself crazy wondering ...

 

[okiehen]

Pictures are going to be the best way for us to help you.
I'll add this to what you posted.

Yellow vs. brown.= with them being mixed means nothing in sexing them. some breeds it would and sex link chicks yellow would be your roosters brown would be pullets.
Comb growth vs. No comb growth.= on straight combed breeds even mixes the early comb and wattle growth would be a good way to sex the rooster over pullets. roosters get early comb growth pullets don't.
Red comb vs. orange comb.= red comb early are roosters, pale colors are pullets. pullets will turn red after they get older sometime before point of lay.
Black spots vs. no spots. this means nothing in sexing them its just there color and being mixed breeds you could get lots of different colors etc.
Some have a very straight tail and some curve downward. Straight vs. curved= pullets most often have a down curved tail roosters have a more up right tail.
Saddle feathers will tell the tail of rooster over any other thing in tails LOL.

What age are your chickens? Also your roosters will be crowing sometimes as early as 6 weeks or as late as 18 weeks.
hope this helped while we wait for your pictures.

 

[shuizar209]

I have pictures but they are only 4 weeks is that too young... They arent very good pictures.

 

[okiehen]

Quote:
post them we may be able to tell by the combs
if not in a few weeks we can try again lots of good folks on here
that are happy to help in sexing chickens

 

[shuizar209]

Stand by for some pictures............

 

[shuizar209]

They are 4 weeks old

 

[Southerngirl]

Just from looking at the pics I see LOTS of roos; just my opinion !!

 

[Silkiefan]

You know, this is off topic, but I bet you could enter that second pic with the hen & her babies on, under, and around her in a photo contest... That's a great photo! By the way, I'm on my third "companion" for my 5 month old girl... they've all been boys so far... I think 3rd time's a charm and I finally have two girls. You're not alone in chicken sexing problems.